Blister packaging of small articles such as pills, tablets and capsules is well known. The blister pack typically comprises a blister sheet of clear plastic having bubbles or cavities formed therein, each containing one or more of the small articles. A foil sheet of frangible or rupturable material, suitably aluminum, is attached to the blister sheet by conventional methods. The pill, tablet, or capsule may be removed from the blister compartment by any one of several known means.
In order to enhance the marketing appeal of these blister packs, and to provide a medium for receiving certain necessary printed information thereon regarding contents of the blister packs and the source of the contents, covers or other packaging means are desirably attached to or folded over each blister pack. A pharmaceutical blister pack, for example, may contain one or two capsules in a small blister package measuring about 13/4" square. A match book-like cover, suitably about 21/2" square, hereinafter referred to as a match book cover, is ideally adapted to receive the necessary printed information on both sides of the cover flaps and yet provide the desired merchandising appeal.
Heretofore, such pharmaceutical blister packs were inserted manually into match book covers and suitably affixed therein, or by semi-automatic machinery which loaded the blister packs into the match book covers at a rate considered slow for profitable commercial applications.
Briefly, the present loading machine receives the folded printed match book covers on an endless conveyor chain, opens the front cover and separates the short sealing flap from the back cover, deposits the pre-filled blister packs between the sealing flap and back cover, heat and pressure seals the blister pack between the sealing flap and back cover, folds the front cover over the sealed blister pack, and packages the loaded match book covers into suitable boxes. The machine is reliable, rapid loading, and capable of continuous loading from either side or simultaneously from both sides. Safety features may readily be incorporated into the machine to stop it if the match book covers are not properly opened or bent, if the blister packs are improperly inserted within the match book covers, and the like.